www.chinabuses.org: In the year of 2010, China plans to utilize world-class technologies to help reduce pollution and improve fuel efficiency for the nation's vehicle fleet. The new hybrid buses, which jointly produced by Beiqi Foton AUV Bus Company and Eaton Corporation, will be in commercial operation before the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The new buses will employ an Eaton hybrid power system comprised of an Eaton automated transmission system, advanced motor/generator, high-power battery pack and system controller, mated to a Cummins ISBe 5.9L engine.

Eaton adopts a parallel hybrid system architecture, which maintains conventional mechanical drivetrain architecture but adds the ability to augment engine torque with electrical horsepower. Through the field demonstration in World Expo, Foton wants to win as many new orders as possible for the clean bus competition.

Eaton Corporation is establishing a major presence in China and plans to increase annual sales in its Asia/Pacific region to $2.5 billion by 2010. The company has 14 manufacturing plants, three light assembly and distribution facilities, 21 sales offices and more than 3,500 employees in China. Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd, was founded on August 28, 1996. Headquartered in Chang Ping District, Beijing, Foton possesses assets exceeding 5 billion Yuan and 28,000 employees. Foton's business units are seen in cities and provinces such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Hebei, Hunan, Hubei, Liaoning, and Guangdong. As the biggest-scale auto manufacturer with the complete range of commercial vehicles in China, Foton possesses the brands of Auman, AUV, View, Saga, Aumark, Ollin, Sup and Forland.